Saturday, December 29, 2007

It is with great sorrow that I have to tell you that my dad passed away the day after Christmas. He wasn't feeling well and I wanted to take him to the hospital, but he refused, because his last words to me were, "I brought your mom to the hospital and look what happened to her, she died". Donnie and I were alone with him and he got up to take his medicine and collapsed in his bedroom. My son dialed 911 and instead of panicking, I immediately started CPR on him and got him breathing again. I think he lost the will to live because he missed my mom so much. The medics took over and they told my siblings and the doctor that I did a terrific job, but I just feel like I didn't do enough. I miss him so much and I was a daddy's girl. I had started moving to stay with him so he wouldn't be alone incase something like this happened. Right now, I just need your prayers for strength to go on, because the pain in my heart is awful. I don't have access to a computer there, so I don't know when I will return, but please keep us all in your prayers. It has only been 5 months since mom died and I wasn't over that, so the pain has doubled. When I am feeling better, I will explain a little more and tell you of the wonderful memories I will cherish about my dad. I hope you all have a Happy New Year. I was given the gift of telling my dad that I loved him before he died. Many hugs for all my blogger friends. Pat

Saturday, December 22, 2007

I would like to extend wishes to all my blogger friends for a very Blessed and Merry Christmas. May your Christmas be filled with wonderful memories with your family and friends. My hope is that everyone remembers the true meaning of Christmas and reach out to those less fortunate. Tis better to give than recieve. This is our first Christmas without our mother and my dad is here with us and I know it's going to be hard.

They have bonfires on the Mississippi River here in Gramercy, Lutcher, and Paulina and it is a tradition to show St. Nick the way. They start by lighting one after another and people are brought in by buses. The entire neighbor hood has block parties where we go from one to another, but mostly stay here, because my bil has his company and family Christmas party on Christmas Eve, then at 7, we just walk to the street and see alll the bonfires. Only one house seperates them from the levees and it is a beautiful thing to see. So enjoy your family traditions and I will see you after Christmas. Love and Hugs to all of you, Pat

Friday, December 14, 2007

I would like you all to join in and post your favorite Christmas or Winter memories. I have many, but these happen to be some of my favorites. I grew up next to my grandpas farm and it was such a thrill to see so much snow. Although we never had ice skates, we made do with what we had and played in the ice ponds.

This is a picture of me with a huge snowfall we had in 1960. We had over 10 inches of snow over night and I wish we had taken a picture of my dad when he woke us up to see the snow. There was a huge snow drift next to our porch and dad missed the edge and fell into it---3 ft. snow drift.

This is my dad and our bull Big Red. He was very mean and no my dad isn't going to shoot him. He was fixing to put one of our cows out of misery because she was barely alive from being too stupid to go into the barn out of the freezing weather----so our freezer became her new home and our meals.

Okay, so we didn't get to see a lot of snow, but it was fun just the same. This is my wonderful Son Donnie.

When we got there, he wanted me to open my gifts, but I wanted to wait till later, but they got me some beautiful cashmere from Christopher Fisher and a gingerbread from Annalee collection.

Now I have to tell you, I fear ladders and heights, but it has been one of the things on my wish list, to go to the top of The Empire State Building, but every time I tried, there was no visiability, so here I am, not a bit nervous or weak knees. It was beautiful and I wanted to stay up there forever and soak in the view.

I even leaned over the side with my camera strapped to my wrist to take pictures. It wasn't how I pictured in from the movies---they must have added the gifts shops where Cary Grant walked out of the elevator and the little boy from Sleepless in Seattle.

Now this is the way to see NYC. If you look at the top right between the dark buildings, that is where the Twin Towers stood. They have started the Freedom Towers, but they have green tarps across the fench, so you have to go up where the gifts shops where to see, but not very good pictures, because of the screening.

Now how would you like these giant balls in your yard and the tree is

gorgeous. I like this one better than the one I seen 3 years ago--more

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Well before I leave for New York City, I thought I would post the last tree. I am not a Red Hatter, but I do love Red and Purple. I got some really cute things from friends all over the world. Smoochie sent me one of my first, a Red hat jingler and then I found tons of them, so they are all over the tree.It is supposed to snow again in New York so my wish may finally come true. Central Park was beautiful on Sunday.Now my son is in for a treat, he has me and my 2 sisters coming, but he always shows us a great time and he is an excellent tour guide. Not sure if we will stand in line for Broadway tickets----I will because I have seen all the great things there already, but my younger sister Barbara hasn't, so we are taking her to those things first. We are also hoping to catch a train to DC for a day, unless the weather is really bad.So I'll be gone until Christmas Open House. Hope to see all of you here. Hugs, Pat